Oprah Winfrey Ponders the Power of Gratitude

"I wake up every morning and the first sentence that comes through my brain is, 'Thank you,'" she says

By Zach Johnson Oct 08, 2014 5:50 PMTags
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In order for Oprah Winfrey to live her best life, she must remain grateful.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, the November issue of O, The Oprah Magazine is dedicated to "The Power of Gratitude." Winfrey reveals, "I wake up every morning and the first sentence that comes through my brain is, 'Thank you.'" In her experience, she says, "If you focus on what you have, you will begin to see that you have more. And if you focus on what you don't have, you will always live in a space of lack."

So, how does Winfrey keep things in perspective?

"I've been on the road now since September, going from city to city on weekends for The Life You Want tour," she writes in her "What I Know for Sure" column. "It's a dream that's lived in me forever: to travel the world speaking face-to-face with women (and some very cool men) about the thing that matters most—raising our individual and collective consciousness to a higher vibration so that we each may fulfill our innate calling."

"In every city, I've been overjoyed to see people sharing their openhearted yearning to reach for something more, their desire to do and be better," the TV mogul, 60, continues. "And in the process of sharing my stories, mistakes, and big lessons, my own commitment to living more fully has deepened...It makes me so happy—and is the greatest reward—to see others grasp the reins of their lives and take control."

Winfrey credits her team of experts—including Rob Bell, Deepak Chopra, Elizabeth Gilbert, Mark Nepo and Iyanla Vanzant—for helping her to cultivate an environment that feels like "one big welcoming classroom where As aren't necessary" and "where it's actually impossible to get a perfect score."

"The only requirement is that you be willing to find grace in the work of becoming the best and highest expression of yourself," Winfrey writes. "And knowing that you have the capacity and power to do so."

"In our day-to-day lives, it's easy to become overwhelmed with responsibilities and challenges," she adds. "Taking care of aging parents while keeping your own house in order is one of the biggies. Having enough time to give to everybody who needs you and have any left for yourself is a constant struggle."

"But in the long run, designing space for you is the only way you can survive without burnout and resentment. There is no life without a spiritual life, and spirituality is like a muscle. It must be fueled," she says. "Fuel yourself with beauty, inspiration, music, laughter, nature, a hot soaking bath, silence. Whatever form it takes for you. Know this for sure: You have more to give when your own tank is full."

O, The Oprah Magazine's November issue hits newsstands on Oct. 14.